This audiobook is a dual biography of two of the giants in twentieth- century world history, politician Winston Churchill and writer George Orwell. Narrator James Lurie's deep, gentle voice is easy to listen to but doesn't fit the book's character. The author's purpose is to illuminate how both men saw the dangers of fascism and communism in the 1930s and made their marks defending democracy and personal freedoms in the 1940s. Lurie reads well and has a soothing tone, traits that would be appropriate for other works. Here, though, his talents downplay the dangers inherent in the time period. His delivery of the narrative does not convey the urgency that both Churchill and Orwell saw in fighting what they saw as humanity's enemies.
Pub Date: May 23, 2017
Duration: 10 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781524776657
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
James Michener tells the real stories behind the man and his books. The recording is read with skill and consistency although the reader does little to enhance the robust, larger-than-life incidents related in the book. Due to the first-person narrative format, there is no opportunity for the narrator to change his voice. This makes some chapters monotonous as they go on and on in the typical Michener style. The listener may also become confused because the stories are not told chronologically. This is not a great choice for the audio format, but Michener fans may stick with it to the end.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 22 hrs
Publisher: Books on Tape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In a quest for a sense of inner contentment and self-worth, Gloria Steinem brings the reader on a journey of investigation and discovery. Steinem reads the text herself in a straightforward and friendly, but not intimate, presentation which is so easy to listen to it invites repetition--thus ensuring the painless relearning of the lessons of the book. It's difficult to tell from the reading that this audiobook is abridged; each section can stand alone. Nonetheless, the listener wished the book were unabridged. Steinem left me wanting to learn more.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Dove Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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